MAKING THE GRADE: HOW SCHOOLS ARE CREATING AND USING MAKERSPACES About two years ago, Summit Elementary in Oconomowoc (WI) brought in laptops and ramped up its science and math curriculum in an effort to reach the hands-on, active learners who had already begun to check out. A committee researched the maker movement, secured a grant from a local education foundation, and turned the outdated computer lab into a makerspace. Now, as part of their specials schedule, students spend an hour each week in the makerspace, learning about the design process and playing with the materials. Because it’s been such a big hit, the committee applied for another grant to create four maker carts that teachers can check out. The carts—Engineering, Math & Science, Tech & Robotics, and Creativity—include materials and activity binders. “Teachers design lessons around the materials that fit right into the curriculum,” says Wendy Harrop, learning resource teacher. The mobile solution is perfect for schools that lack physical space. Teacher integration is picking up, too.
18 Free Image Sites and Tools for Schools A picture is worth a thousand words, but it might also be worth a thousand dollars if your school gets hit with a copyright violation claim. This happens to schools every year as students or teachers inappropriately use an image that they do not have the rights to. Thankfully this does not have to be the case as there are loads of high quality pictures that can be used in school projects without any licensing concerns. These can include images that are released under creative commons, or are in the public domain, or simply are copyright-free. There are many sites and tools that can help educators and students find free photos, clipart, icons, and more. The List If you just want the links to the sites and tools, see the list right below. Free Image Websites Free Image Add-ons for DocsFull Deck for Google Docs (Unsplash) - Docs Add-on linkPixabay Free Images - Docs Add-on linkInsert icons for Docs - Docs Add-on linkFree Image Add-ons for Slides Free Image Websites Unsplash Pexels Stockio Reshot
Makerspace Activities for In-Person, Hybrid, and Virtual Learning Exactly what school will look like in fall 2020 is still an unknown for many teachers out there, and planning for three very different scenarios is not going to be easy. Many of us were able to put together something on the fly to support our students in the spring of 2020, but how do we plan makerspace activities with the potential for multiple methods of teaching and learning this next school year? When it came to maker education this past spring, I was terrified about how I was going to incorporate making activities when my students were at home. However, I was able to come up with some great approaches that really engaged students in the making process. I have done a lot of thinking about the different ways we might be delivering instruction next school year, and I want to share some ideas on how you can engage students in learning whether they are attending school in person, through a hybrid approach, or virtually. In-Person Makerspace Activities Hybrid Makerspace Activities
Expanding Opportunities for Incarcerated Parents and Their Families - Prison Services - Free Library The Free Library’s Prison Services program aims to deepen all participants’ engagement with their neighborhood libraries. This toolkit was designed to help other public libraries replicate this work and launch programs of their own. Stories Alive, the family televisiting program, encourages family literacy and family bonding using live videoconferencing stations to link incarcerated parents at the prison with their children at a neighborhood library. Stories Alive family participants receive library cards, and the incarcerated parents are offered temporary library cards that are valid for one year after their release. If you or your library have additional questions about the Free Library's Prison Services or Stories Alive, please reach out to us at 267-257-3015 | prisonservices@freelibrary.org Download Toolkit
curiositycommons | Of Libraries and Learning BBC brings coding to UK schools with 1 million micro:bit and 3D printable accessories Mar 24, 2016 | By Alec When talking about the backgrounds of makers in Fablabs and similar locations, you usually hear the same story: that they became absolutely obsessed with building at a very young age. Whether it was Lego, K’NEX, or an uncle with a garage full of tools, we were all somehow infected at an impressionable age. While great for us, it’s actually unfortunate for the STEM field as a whole, as getting young kids interested in anything educational is always a challenge. British media giant BBC has therefore stepped in, and has just unveiled the BBC micro:bit, a pocket-sized codeable computer packed with sensors that can be used for countless building projects. Over the past year or so, a steady flow of rumors have been coming in about the BBC’s plans for a possible credit card-sized microcontroller. But one thing is certain: the micro:bit would not have been possible without the extensive backing from all those partners.
Free Music Archive Makers Empire Review for Teachers Makers Empire is a 3D design tool enabling students to create, download, and print original or community-based objects. The teacher dashboard is a hub of activity where teachers can create classes, add students, view and comment on students' designs, browse or build lessons, complete interactive tutorials, and more. Students can use a tablet, mobile device, or laptop/desktop computer to access the software, joining via class code, QR code, or teacher import. Students need only a username and password to get started, and once they sign in, they can customize their avatar, complete challenges, and access the design modules. Designs can be as simple as modifying existing characters and working with shapes, or as complex as using blocks to build structures or even entire cities. Makers Empire is a 3D design tool enabling students to create, download, and print original or community-based objects.
LIVE from the NYPL | The New York Public Library Engage with the brightest at The New York Public Library's premier cultural series! LIVE from the NYPL offers conversations with notable writers, artists, and leaders, hosted by Paul Holdengräber. All tickets for LIVE from the NYPL events are sold online or by phone. Click or call 888-718-4253. Become a Friend of the Library and save 20% on general admission tickets. Buy tickets for at least three events (up to five) and get an additional 15% off. LIVE from the NYPL is made possible with generous support from Celeste Bartos, Mahnaz Ispahani Bartos and Adam Bartos, and the Margaret and Herman Sokol Public Education Endowment Fund. The GCAA Makerspace | Proudly Made in St. Louis
Makerspace Tools | Create, Collaborate, Innovate What are great tools for a makerspace? What materials should I get? I get asked these questions a lot. I can’t answer that for you because I do not know the culture of your school. Curious about how to get funding? First, ask for donations and save cardboard boxes, paper towel tubes, etc. Ask parents for donations: Brushbot supplies: Scrub brushes and Electric Toothbrushes from the Dollar TreeOld car toys (Rocket propelled w balloons), balloons, old car toys with gears or switches, electronic motors for scribble bots (can buy from Radio Shack or get them out of a dollar store toothbrush), wire cutters, wire from phone lines (like old internet cords, etc), alligator clips, old tennis balls, old computers, old electronics, empty/cleaned coffee bags, oatmeal containers, 2 liter bottles, Modge Podge Once you’ve started a maker culture at your school, create a steering committee to help you guide your makerspace purchases. *What if I can’t get it all? Invention Robotics Circuits Like this:
Lessons - Makerspace in the Making Lessons 4 & 5: Building a Budget Group work- Each group continues their research and builds their budget using the google doc below. Makerspace in the Making: Supply Budget Makerspace in the Making: Supply Budget Feedback- Students submit their final budget for teacher feedback. Lesson 6 & 7: Putting it All Together Choosing a Platform- Each group decides how they will present their findings to the school. Options include: Google SlidesVoicethreadAnother teacher approved application Building a Presentation- Students use pictures, video, and/or text to share their ideas for the new makerspace. Exit Tickets- Students are asked to write down one piece of their project they would like teacher feedback on for the next class. Lesson 8: Presenting our Findings Sharing what we have learned- Students present their findings as a group in 3-5 minute presentations. Reflection- Students fill out the following reflection at the end of the project. Makerspace in the Making: Final Reflection
Baxter-Patrick James Island Makerspace and Creative Studio Procedures | Charleston County Public Library Orientation and Training Sessions Before using the lab or studio, patrons must present a valid library card and complete an orientation overview of the digital facilities. Orientation is approximately 30 – 45 minutes, but times may vary depending on specific areas of interest. We understand that some patrons may have knowledge on many of the production tools or software applications available in our creation facilities. The orientation is not a class. If a patron is not able to attend any of the scheduled orientations, they may make an appointment with the a Digital Lab or Creative Studio staff member at bpcreative@ccpl.org.
Harry Potter's World Renaissance Science, Magic, and Medicine - Education Resources Harry Potter's World presents the following instructional resources for the educators in middle- and high-schools, and in higher education institutions. The resources provide suggested instructional guides and materials that an educator may adapt in whole or in parts as he or she deems most appropriate for the students' interest, level, and academic goals. Middle & High School Lesson Plans Boggart and Fear in Harry Potter and Genetic Traits in Harry Potter are two lesson plans prepared for middle- and high-school teachers. Higher Education Module “Things Most Strange and Wondrous”, is a course module designed to introduce undergraduate and graduate students to the various magical and esoteric traditions that shaped past thinkers' conceptions of the study of nature in the Renaissance and early modern periods. Online Activities Desire for Knowledge and Different Perspectives are guided online activities that navigate parts of Harry Potter's World with a specific interpretive plan.